GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - A 12-year-old girl from West Michigan is aiming high and heading for the Junior Olympics competition this Thursday.
Jana Stiffler, of Twin Lake, has been running for the past two years. She trains with the Grand Rapids Track Club and competes against other homeschool students.
Stiffler, a student at Great Lakes Cyber Academy, managed to qualify for the Junior Olympics in the 3K race and says this opportunity is something she has been hoping for.
"It is a very nerve racking race it's kind of like what you put in for all year you spend every practice, every speed workout, it kind of all comes down to this race so it's very nerve racking to know this is what I've been working up to all year, " Stiffler says.
Her father, Stephen Stiffler, says no matter the results he is still proud of her accomplishments.
"If she came in dead last we would be proud because we know that they're doing there best but to go the distance that she has gone and to go to the national junior Olympics it's just amazing," he says.
Stiffler heads to Alabama on Thursday and will race against 200 other girls ages 11-12.
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